Tropical Storm Eta has caused more than 170 deaths in Central America. In addition, thousands of people have become homeless due to floods in Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala.
In the countries many houses, roads and bridges have been damaged by the strong winds and heavy rainfall. Rescue work is made difficult because of the damaged infrastructure.
Eta is one of the most violent storms in Central America in years, landing on Tuesday as a Category 4 hurricane in Nicaragua. Wind speeds of 241 kilometers per hour were reached. After hurricane strength subsided, Eta continued across inland and neighboring Honduras.
There are an estimated 150 deaths in Guatemala. These reports come from the remote mountain village of Queja. A large number of residents died when their homes were swallowed up by mudslides.
In neighboring Honduras, the streets of San Pedro Sula were flooded. Authorities in the country report 14 deaths. About four thousand people have been helped after they became trapped by the force of nature. According to authorities, people are still trapped on the roofs of their homes.
Nicaraguan media reported that two miners were killed in a mudslide. In Costa Rica, a Costa Rican woman and an American man were killed when a landslide hit their home. In Panama, five people died, including a flood in the province of Chiriqui, close to the border with Costa Rica.
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